Academic World Quest 2012. We wish to thank the staff of the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home for their generous assistance.

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Presentation on theme: "Academic World Quest 2012. We wish to thank the staff of the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home for their generous assistance."— Presentation transcript:

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We wish to thank the staff of the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home for their generous assistance and historic setting.

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Special thanks to IBM and the Handel Foundation for their generous contributions toward making the Academic World Quest 2012 possible.

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Participating High Schools Arlington High School Roy C Ketcham High School Oakwood Friends School Roosevelt High School Kingston High School Poughkeepsie Day School Washingtonville High School Cornwall High School

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Any team found with any means of assistance other than brain power will be DISQUALIFIED. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELLULAR PHONES AND REMOVE ANY HAND-HELD DEVICES. The only items on your table should be the answer sheets and the pad and pencil supplied by the committee.

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2. Boko Haram is a terrorist group operating in what country? A.Yemen B.Nigeria C.Somalia D.Libya

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3. What country recently passed a resolution making it a crime to deny that Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were victims of genocide? A.United Kingdom B.Italy C.France D.Norway

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4. Politics have played an unexpected role in the modern Olympic Games. In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Adolf Hitler's attempt to demonstrate the superiority of his 'master race' was dealt a crushing blow by which of the following? A. Mark Spitz winning 7 Gold medals B. Jesse Owens winning 4 Gold medals ** C. Tommy Smith and John Carlos dominating the track and field events D. Jack Armstrong winning the Decathalon

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6. The Olympic torch relay was created in 1936. In 2012 how many torchbearers are expected to carry the torch? A.2,500 B.6,000 C.8,000 D.10,200

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7. Which of the following states was responsible in great part for the release of the three US hikers who strayed over the Iranian border while hiking in Iraq? A.India B.Oman C.Saudi Arabia D.Turkey

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8. In which Olympic Games did the terrorist group known as 'Black September' kill members of the Israeli wrestling team? A. 1964 B. 1968 C. 1972 * D. 1996

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9. The United Nations Special Tribunal investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was recently renewed for three more years. What country did Rafiq Harir lead? A.Syria B.Tunisia C.Lebanon D.Morocco

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7. Substantial numbers of the Kurdish ethnic group are found in all of the following countries EXCEPT: A.Syria B.Lebanon C.Iran D.Iraq

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8. Which of the following led to the cancellation of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)? A.The 1956 Suez War B.Palestinian militant attacks into Israel from Gaza C.The nationalization of the Suez Canal Company D.The introduction of Soviet military advisors into Egypt

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4. NATO’s Article V has only been invoked once. When? A.Just prior to the launching of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm B.Just after NATO announced its intervention in Kosovo in 1999 C.Just after the 9/11 attacks D.On the eve of the 2003 invasion of Iraq

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5. Which of the following HAS NOT been part of the Obama Administration’s “reset” with Russia? A.The deployment of sea-based SM-3 missiles to the eastern Mediterranean B.US-Russian agreement to reduce their nuclear stockpiles C.The slow path to NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia D.The US’ declaration that Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz is a “red line”

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6. What non-NATO member has contributed to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan? A.Japan B.Australia C.Israel D.Mexico

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7. According to the report, The Future of NATO, prior to 2009 the forces comprising ISAF were evenly split between American and non-American members. What has been the trend since 2009? A.Non-Americans make up a relatively larger proportion of ISAF B.Americans make up a relatively larger proportion of ISAF C.The ratio has remained the same D.Non-NATO members have become the largest troop contributors

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8. Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates gave a speech criticizing some members of the NATO alliance. What were his two criticisms? A.Lack of troop contribution in Afghanistan and slow acceptance of new NATO members B.Lack of support from key NATO members in Libya and low levels of defense spending C.Lack of will to implement a land-based nuclear missile shield and a lack of coherence over Iran D.The inability of members to proactively engage Russia and the acceptance of Albania into NATO

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9. What two countries were supposed to be part of NATO’s land-based missile shield? A.Turkey and Greece B.Estonia and Norway C.Albania and Germany D.Poland and Czech Republic

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1. The United States was ranked 4 th in overall competitiveness in 2010-11 according to the World Economic Forum. Which of the following was not among the three countries ranked ahead of the US? A.Germany B.Singapore C.Switzerland D.Sweden

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2. In 2010, President Obama proposed the creation of a ______ to enhance America’s economic competitiveness by leveraging public and private capital to fund improvements. In 2011, a group of US Senators put forward a similar measure. What was it? A.The National Export Initiative B.Privatization of municipal bridges and toll roads C.Block grant awards for innovations in clean energy transportation D.National Infrastructure Bank

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3. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in 2011 the US budget deficit amounted to __ of GDP A.2.5% B.6.2% C.9.8% D.13.3%

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4. In 2011, the US federal government’s budget was approximately how many times larger than it had been when President Clinton left office? A.It had declined by half B.It was about the same C.It had doubled D.It had tripled

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6. Between 1977 and 2002 productivity gains in the US manufacturing sector ____ other sectors of the economy? A.outpaced B.lagged C.closely resembled D.were epiphenomenal relative to

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7. Manufacturing jobs as a percentage of total employment ___ between 1977 and 2002. A.fell B.rose C.remained the same D.was difficult to determine

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8. Technological innovation contributed to the doubling of US agricultural yields since the beginning of the 20 th century. The percentage of the population involved in agriculture declined from ___ at the beginning of the 20 th century to ___ in 2000. A.42%; 1% B.55%; 8% C.65%; 7% D.38%; 3%

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9. Modern sewage treatment in the US helped eliminate all of the following water-borne diseases EXCEPT: A.Typhoid fever B.Diarrhea C.Polio D.Cholera

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5. The largest post-cold war civil conflict in the South Caucasus was over Nagarno- Karabakh (N-K). All the following statements regarding this conflict are correct EXCEPT: A.N-K is an Armenian majority autonomous region within Azerbaijan. B.With the dissolution of the Soviet Empire, ethnic violence began in this area. C.Within a few years, Azerbaijani forces had taken control of almost all of N-K, displacing a large Armenian population. D.A cease-fire was negotiated by Russia in 1994.

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7. The countries with proven oil reserves in the Caspian Basin are all of the following EXCEPT: A.Uzbekistan B.Turkmenistan C.Iran D.Azerbaijan

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8. All of the following statements are correct EXCEPT: A.The BTC pipeline signifies the route through Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan B.The pipeline carries natural gas C.The pipeline was completed in 2006 D.A consequence of the pipeline’s construction is the revival of archeological research, financed by American and British corporations

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9. Complete the following statement. The Azerbaijani city that is experiencing a spectacular building booms is A.Grozny B.Baku C.Beslan D.Moshad

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1. Of the many ethnic groups in China, the largest is the ____ A.Manchu B.Mongol C.Han D.Uighur

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2. Of the five sanctioned “Patriotic Religious Associations” in China, the largest is the ____. A.Buddhist B.Taoist C.Muslim D.Protestant

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3. The Chinese leader most responsible for market reforms in the last quarter of the 20 th century was A.Jiang Zemin B.Li Peng C.Deng Xiaoping D.Lu Hsun

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4. Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement concerning energy use in China? A.In 2010, China led the world in clean energy investment B.China is the world’s largest importer of crude oil C.Coal makes up the bulk of China’s energy production D.China is the world’s largest energy consumer

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5. In 1972, US President Nixon traveled to China and at the conclusion of his trip, both the US and China issued the “Shanghai Communiqué.” In that document, the US: A.Established full diplomatic relations with China B.Acknowledged that there is only one China, and Taiwan is part of China C.Acknowledged China’s claim to the Spratley Islands in the East China Sea D.Supported China’s claim to Tibet

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6. The leader of the Long March in the 1930’s and the individual responsible for the defeat of the KMT in 1949 was: A.Liu Shao Chi B.Mao Tse Tung C.Chiang kai-shek D.None of the above

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7. Which of the following is not a principal relationship in which humans are involved, according to Confucius? A.Mother and Daughter B.Ruler and Subject C.Father and Son D.Friend and friend

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8. What was the Forbidden City? A.The Palace of the Emperor of China B.The Land ofthe Rising Sun C.Lhasa Tibet D.Xian

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9. n 2008 China became the world's largest internet user. In 2011 what percentage of China's population had access to the internet? A.32% B.42% C.65% D.86%

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1. In Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education, international comparisons of US students with those in other developed countries place US students A.In the top third of the field B.In the middle of the pack or lower C.Improving, especially among women and minorities D.At the very bottom of the pack

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2. Over the last several decades the industrial economy based on manufacturing has shifted to a service economy based on information, knowledge and innovation. In 1967 information services constituted 36% of the US economy. By 2008, information services accounted for what percentage of all jobs in the US economy? A.45% B.50% C.60% D.More than 75%

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3. Critical thinking and problem solving, i.e. cognitive skills, will differentiate the economic leaders from the laggards among the world’s developed and developing countries. In a 2003(Programme for International Student Assessment), PISA assessment of problem solving in 40 countries, US 15 year olds ranked A.12 th B.23 rd C.29 th D.40th

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4. Over the last 10 years, growth in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) jobs was how much faster than in non-STEM jobs? A.Twice as fast B.Three times as fast C.Four times as fast D.Five times as fast

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5. One of the more distinguishing characteristics of STEM workers in the US is their educational attainment. Which of the following statements is INACCURATE concerning educational attainment for US workers? A.More than 2/3 of STEM workers have a Bachelor’s degree or higher B.Physical and Life Sciences have the highest educated workforce C.Very few opportunities (less than 10%) exist for those with an Associate Degree D.In Physical and Life Sciences, nearly 40% hold a graduate degree

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6. In South Korea, 38% of all undergraduates receive their degrees in natural sciences or engineering, in France the figure is 47%, in China 50% and in Singapore, 67%. In the US, the corresponding percentage is A.15% B.20% C.25% D.30%

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7. Which of the following closely approximates the percentage of foreign born Ph.Ds working in the US in science and technology. A.15-20% B.20-25% C.25-28% D.35-38%

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8. According to PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), what does “literacy” mean? A.Capacity of students to apply knowledge and skills B.Ability of students to read and write C.Ability of students to grasp a foreign language D.Ability of students to use proper grammar in speech

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9. As of 2000, about what percentage of US workers have some type of post secondary education? A.60% B.50% C.40% D.30%

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1. According to Sen. John Kerry, US interests in Afghanistan include all of the following EXCEPT: A.Putting Afghans in charge of their own affairs B.Initiating talks with the Taliban C.Destroying al-Qaeda D.Preventing Afghanistan from ever again becoming a terrorist sanctuary

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2. The US spends more on foreign aid in Afghanistan than in any other country. Which of the following is true? A.In the last 10 years there has been a sevenfold increase in the number of Afghan children attending school. B.An estimated 50% of Afghanistan’s GDP is derived from spending related to international military and donor community presence C.Evidence is overwhelming that multinational stabilization programs are succeeding D.Most US aid in Afghanistan is funneled through the Afghan government

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4. Which group within Pakistan is considered the most serious threat in terms of anti-state violence and sectarian intolerance? A.Ismailis B.Deobandi radicals C.Pakistani Shia D.The Afghan Taliban

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5. Pakistan faces separatist pressures in which of the following regions or cities? A.Islamabad B.Punjab C.Karachi D.Baluchistan

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6. Among the main security challenges for Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal are all of the following EXCEPT: A.Keeping the integrity of the command structure B.Ensuring the physical security of the nuclear weapons C.Preventing illicit proliferation from insiders D.Sharing nuclear know-how with existing nuclear weapons states

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7. According to estimates in January 2011, Pakistan is believed to have about ___ nuclear weapons A.50-70 B.90-110 C.130-150 D.180-200

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8. Pakistan maybe responding to India’s nuclear arsenal by doing all of the following EXCEPT: A.Increasing its fissile production capability B.Improving its delivery vehicles C.Buying nuclear weapons from Kazakhstan D.Accelerating its current nuclear weapons efforts

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9. Pakistan’s nuclear posture is designed to do all of the following EXCEPT: A.Pressure Afghanistan to accept the current border with Pakistan B.Preserve territorial integrity against an Indian attack C.Prevent military escalation D.Counter its main rival’s conventional military superiority

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1. In 2010, approximately what percent of all energy used in the US consisted of renewable sources? A.5% B.8% C.10% D.12%

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2. Which country is the world’s leading producer of wind turbines and solar modules? A.United States B.Germany C.India D. China

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3. In 2010, which region of the world received the most clean energy investment? A.Europe B.Asia C.North America D.Middle East

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4. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts December 2010 study, “Global Clean Power,” investment in clean power assets could amount to as much as ____ over the 2010-’20 period. A.$1 trillion B.$1.7 trillion C.$2.3 trillion D.$2.8 trillion

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5. Clean energy targets can take many forms including all of the following EXCEPT: A.Nationwide requests that a percentage of total energy be derived from renewable resources B.Mandating that fossil fuel plants undergo annual safety inspections C.Goals for installation of a certain amount of solar or wind generating capacity D.Utility-level requirements for clean energy production

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6. Which of the following countries was NOT among the top 3 in five-year growth in renewable energy capacity between 2005-2010? A.China B.South Korea C.United States D.Turkey

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7. According to the IEA, all of the following factors are driving natural gas demand and supply EXCEPT: A.It is considered to be an inexhaustible supply of fuel for the next millennium B.When replacing other fossil fuels, natural gas can lead to lower emissions of greenhouse gases and local pollutants C.It can help to diversify energy supply, and so improve energy security D.It can provide the flexibility and back-up capacity needed as more variable capacity comes on-line in power generation

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8. Worldwide demand for gas is growing so dramatically that each of the following is true EXCEPT: A.An increase in production equivalent to about 3 times the current production of Russia will be required simply to meet the growth in gas demand in 2035 B.By 2035 unconventional gas will meet more than 40% of the increase in demand C.China will grow to become one of the largest importers of natural gas globally D.Based on the assumptions of the GAS Scenario, from 2010 to 2035 gas use will increase by more than 75% by 2035

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9. According to US Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, President Obama has committed the United States to generating what percentage of its electricity from clean sources by 2035? A.65% B.75% C.80% D.90%

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1. What fraction of all under-five deaths occur before the first 28 days of life? A.1/5 B.1/3 C. 2/3 D. 1/2

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2. Which of the following was not a term that China agreed to as an obligation for accession into the World Trade Organization? A.Increase subsidies for agricultural production and the maintenance of agricultural export subsidies B.Reduce the average tariff for industrial goods and agricultural products C.Within three years of accession, grant full trade and distribution rights to many foreign enterprises D.Provide non-discriminatory treatment to all WTO members.

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3. According to NATO’s Strategic Concept, all of the following are technology-related trends that will significantly impact NATO’s military planning EXCEPT: A.Laser weapons B.Chinese acquisition of an aircraft carrier C.Electronic warfare D.Technologies that impede access to space

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1. In the latest elections in Taiwan, the party that won the majority of the votes supported which of the following positions? A.Independence for Taiwan B.Stationing US forces on the island C.Closer relations with China D.Reducing Taiwan’s investment in China’s computer manufacturing operations

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2. The leader of what Arab country first advanced the idea of an Arab military intervention in Syria? A.Kuwait B.United Arab Emirates C.Qatar D.Saudi Arabia

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3. In its attempt to stymie a rebel movement that seeks to depose the president of Syria, President Assad of Syria has been able to count on support in the United Nations from: A.Russia and China B.The Arab League C.The Gulf Cooperation Council D.India and Pakistan

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1. “The day of infamy speech” was addressed to Congress on what day? A. December 7 th, 1941 B. December 8 th, 1941 C. December 7 th, 1942 D. None of the above

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2. The Presidential election of 1944 was the only time in history that two opposing candidates resided in the same county. Who was FDR’s opponent at that time? A. Dewey B. Cox C. Van Buren D. Smith

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4. What year was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted? A.1942 B.1948 C.1945 D.1962

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5. What position did FDR hold when he was elected President? A.Senator B.Governor C.Assistant Secretary of the Navy D.Vice President

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6. Who did President Roosevelt welcome to the United States & Hyde Park in June 1939? A.King Leopold III B.King George VI & Queen Elizabeth C.Madam Chiang Kai-shek D.Marian Anderson

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7. FDR immortalized Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech and Expression, Freedom from Want, Freedom of Worship, and _____________. What is the fourth freedom? A.Freedom from Hate B.Freedom of Assembly C.Freedom from Fear D.Freedom to Care

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9. The Declaration by The United Nations set up a united front against the Axis powers during WWII. This Declaration included 4 major world powers, The United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and what other country? A.Canada B.Chile C.Mexico D.China

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4. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented four terms. The 22 nd Amendment now limits the President to two, four year terms. What year did that Amendment become part of the Constitution? A.April 1945 B.November 1947 C.February 1951 D.November 1953